LAND SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19753, 28 September 1927, Page 13

LAND SETTLEMENT.

BILL BEFORE THE HOUSE. CRITICISM OF OPPOSITION. POLICY OF LABOUR PARTY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The second reading of the Land for Settlements Amendment Bill was moved in the House to-day by the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod. Mr. J. A. Lee (Auckland East) said the bill was simply patching existing legislation and was not a measure to being a great new policy of land settlement. The Minister had not said a single word about his intention regarding the development of the lands of the Dominion and the House was entitled to know why he was not making the land laws of the country function and when he was going to make them function and compel large landowners to subdivide their properties. The Leader of the National Party, Mr. G. W. Forbes, said the Te Wera purchase was a most curious affair and ha wondered whether the bill before the House was going to bring about a better system of land purchase than existed id the past. There were arrears of rents due and people were going off the land. Whenever the Minister launched out and purchased land for settlement, he failed, as he did at Te Wera. It was no wonder the Minister became disheartened, but there must be more land settlement if we were going to keep the unemployed off the street# of the towns. Labour Party's Attitude. Mr. D. Joues (Ellesmere) defended the Government policy of placing returned soldiers on . the land. While admitting mistakes had been made, more mistakes were made by experienced farmers than by the Government. Mr. Jones went on to criticise the Labour Party's land policy. "It is stdl the usehcld," interjected Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South). "The Labour Party conierencs in Napier," said Mr. Jones, "changed the Labour laud policy and now Mr. Howard says it is still the usehold policy. It seems to indicate that there is a distinct cleavage between the Labour Party id this Houso and their bosses <*t the annual conference. It is indeed interesting to know from Mr. Howard that the Labour Party has once again gone back to its usehoid policy." Mr. F. N. Bartram (Grey Lynn): He never said that. Mr. Jones: It is particularly interest ing to hear again the old policy which the Labour Party never forsook in their hearts—nationalisation of production, distribution and exchange. Now they admit that that applies to their land nationalisation. Necessity For Capital.

Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) said the troubles of farmers were no}, due to high wages but to land Rambling, which had submerged farmers under ever-increasing mortgages. The Minister of Agriculture, Hon. 0. J. Hawken, said the fact was that there was little land left in New Zealand which could be settled by men with small capital. Rough land could not be broken in without capital and it was not wise to invite poor men to take up land which men with capital would not touch. There was really no great demand for land in New Zealand at present. He thought it was more profitable to improve existing settled land than to break in new country. Mr. Howard said the Labour Party's policy was " the usehold," which would mean the undisturbed right to use land and that no one should hold land who did not use it. Mr. McLeod, in reply, said he was prepared to hand over the file of the Te Wera purchase to a committee of the Labour Party and if it could bring down a report showing " any crookedness or anything twisted " he would resign his position. The bill was read a second time.

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS BILL. EVIDENCE TO COMMITTEE. PROCEEDINGS COMMENCED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —mESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The Education Committee of the House of Representatives to-day began hearing evidence for and against the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill, introduced into the House by Mr. H. Holland (Christchurch North). A number of witnesses have signified their intention of giving evidence in regard to the petitions which have been presented to the House, and it is likely that proceedings will take some days. Mr. R. P. Hudson (Motueka) presided, and other members of the committee present were the Hoia. R. A. Wright. Mr. H. Holland, Mr. H. T. Armstrong, Mr. W. Jones and Mr. T. Forsyth. The chairman made it clear that the bill was not before the committee and the proceedings did not necessarily affect the progress of the bill through the House. It was open to the Prime Minister to bring down the bill whenever he thought fit. Evidence was given by the Hon. George Fowlds and Professor T. A. Hunter, both advancing various grounds of opposition to the bill. Mr. F. L. Combs, president of the Educational Institute, and Professor Gould were also heard, and the committee adjourned until to morrow.

PETROL TAX PROPOSAL. REFERRED TO GOVERNMENT, [BT TELEGRAFH. —SFECIAX REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Stating that the question is one of policy, the A to L Petitions Committee recommended to-day that the petition of W. E. Anderson and 140 others in Auckland that a petrol tax should be imposed, should be referred to the Government for consideration. EDUCATION RESERVES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday Replying to an interjection in the House * to-night the Minister of Lands. Hon. A. D. McLeod, said a bill dealing with education reserves would be introduced later in the session.